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Padres face Braves in National League Wild-Card Series – San Diego Union-Tribune

Idris Bevan October 1, 2024

The Braves head west to Petco Park.

Their road to an NL Wild-Card Series clash with the Padres has been stressful, to say the least, as they lost on Sunday to play Monday’s doubleheader in Atlanta, blew a lead in Game 1 against the Mets and had to prevail with a 3-0 win in the nightcap.

That’s not all.

Ace Chris Sale was scratched with back spasms from the start of Game 2 and Atlanta burned nine pitchers – including two relievers pitching at both ends – in 18 innings to earn the right to fly across the country to play on Tuesday the Padres, the hottest team to start the postseason since the All-Star break.

No. 5 Braves vs. No. 4 Padres

SCHEDULE

(Best of Three, all games on ESPN, 97.3 The Fan, XEMO 860)

Game 1: Braves TBA at Padres RHP Michael King (13-9, 2.95 ERA, 5:38 p.m
Game 2: Braves TBA at Padres RHP Joe Musgrove (6-5, 3.88 ERA), 5:38 p.m
Game 3 (if necessary): Braves TBA at Padres RHP Dylan Stop it (14-11, 3.47 ERA), 4:08 p.m

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Records: Braves 89-73, 2nd in NL East; Padres 93-69, 2nd in NL West
Head-to-head: The Padres won four of seven games against the Braves, took three of four games in Atlanta in mid-May, but lost two of three games in San Diego in the final series before the All-Star break. The Padres outscored the Braves in the series 26-22.
Current postseason history: The Braves are in the postseason for the seventh straight season, which includes a World Series title in 2021. They only made it past the NLDS one more season in this series (2020). The Padres are in the postseason for the second time in the last three years. They defeated the Mets and the Dodgers on the way to the 2022 NLCS against the Phillies. As for postseason meetings with the Braves, the Padres defeated Atlanta in the 1998 NLCS in six games en route to the organization’s second-place finish in the World Series.
Go to WAR (Fangraphs): Braves – LHP Chris Sale (6.4), DH Marcell Ozuna (4.8), LHP Max Fried (3.4), RHP Reynaldo Lopez (3.4), 1B Matt Olson (2.6); Padres – OF Jackson Merrill (5.3), RHP Dylan Cease (4.8), OF Jurickson Profar (4.3), RHP Michael King (3.9), 3B Manny Machado (3.8).
Health check: LHP Chris Sale was scratched from Monday’s doubleheader start with back spasms and Braves manager Brian Snitker said sale is not expected to be available in San Diego. The Braves are used to getting along. They are in the playoffs despite losing the 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. for the year in May to a left knee injury, 3B Austin Riley suffered a broken hand in mid-August and RHP Spencer Strider suffered a torn ACL in April. Other Braves hitting the market this year include LHP Ray Kerr (Tommy John), LHP Angel Perdomo (Tommy John) and LHP AJ Minter (hip), during RHP Huascar Ynoa (Shoulder) is without a schedule. …For the Padres, SS Ha Seong Kim opted to have shoulder surgery at the end of the season and will miss the postseason. One of the options that helped at man shortstop during Kim’s absence, INF Mason McCoyHe is on the 10-day injured list with back inflammation. RHPs Jhony Brito (Elbow), pTephen Kolek (elbow) and Luis Patino (Elbow) are all on the 60-day injured list.

CLUBHOUSE MANAGER

OPS: Braves – DH Marcell Ozuna (.924), 1B Matt Olson (.790), C Travis d’Arnaud (.738); Padres – OF Jurickson Profar (.839), OF Fernando Tatis Jr. (.833), OF Jackson Merrill (.826);
Homer: Braves – Ozuna (39), Olson (29), SS Orlando Arcia (17); Padres – 3B Manny Machado (29), Merrill (24), Profar (24).
RBIs: Braves – Ozuna (104), Olson (98), 2B Ozzie Albies (53); Padres – Machado (105), Merrill (90), Profar (85).
Steals: Braves – Harris (10), Albies (8), OF Jarred Kelenic (7); Padres – SS Ha-Seong Kim (22), Merrill (16), INF Xander Bogaerts (13).
Stores: Braves – RHP Raisel Iglesias (34-of-38, 1.95 ERA); Padres – RHP Robert Suarez (36-for-42, 2.77 ERA), LHP Tanner Scott (22-for-24, 1.75 ERA).
Holds: Braves – RHP Joe Jimenez (27, 2.62 ERA), RHP Pierce Johnson (12, 3.67 ERA), LHP Dylan Lee (9, 2.11 ERA); Padres – RHP Jason Adam (31, 1.95 ERA), RHP Jeremiah Estrada (16, 2.95 ERA), LHP Adrián Morejón (12, 2.83 ERA).

THINGS TO LOOK AT

LHP Chris Sale angular RHP Dylan Stop it for the NL strikeout title, 225 to 224, and is the presumptive NL Cy Young winner, but Sale hasn’t pitched since September 19, his velocity dipped in that start and he was sidelined from the start of Scratched Game 2 on Monday with back spasms. The Braves’ other co-ace, LHP Max Friedlast pitched on Friday and only went into the regular rest period on Wednesday. The Padres have also had problems with Fried in the past (3-1, 2.30 ERA, 31⅓ IP), although they beat him by three runs on nine hits and three walks in 4⅓ innings in Atlanta in May. As a team, the Padres have been far worse against lefties (.690 OPS) than against righties (.764) this season, although they were slightly better after the All-Star break (.700) and were outstanding against southpaws in their first 19 games of the season second half (.841).
The Braves’ bullpen finished the season third in the majors with a 3.32 ERA, but is hardly in good shape when it arrives in San Diego. Closer Raisel Iglesias Threw 20 pitches, pitched twice on Monday and was a setup man Joe Jimenez threw 19 pitches in his two appearances. Both threw error-free innings in the nightcap after Jimenez allowed three runs without recording an out in Game 1 and Iglesias gave up two runs by blowing his look on a six-out save. RHP Pierce Johnson then allowed two runs on 21 pitches in the ninth, forcing the Braves to win Game 162 to advance to the playoffs. Atlanta’s five most-used relievers were all on the field Monday. Even starters Reynaldo Lopez turned a scoreless inning out of the bullpen in the nightcap.
Leading the Majors in overall ERA (3.49) allowed the Braves to get away with a mediocre offense weighed down by the crippling loss of several contributors over the course of the season. The Braves ranked 15th in runs scored (704) and batting average (.243) and 16th in on-base percentage (.309). They finished in the top 10 in batting (.415) with DH Marcell Ozuna He does much of the heavy lifting for a lineup that’s missing Acuña and Riley and has played 2B for long stretches Ozzie Albies on the injured list. A four-time All-Star, the switch-hitting Albie’s wrist still doesn’t allow him to swing the way he wants as a left-handed hitter, but that didn’t stop him from driving in five runs on seven total bases in Monday’s doubleheader. Since coming off the injured list this month, he is still hitting .184/.244/.368 in 38 plate appearances.

CROSS-CITY CONNECTIONS

Braves LHP Max Friedwas drafted 7th overall by the Padres in 2012 and was at the top of the prospect package that brought OF Justin Upton to San Diego as general manager AJ Preller “Rock Star GM” Winter begins 2015 season. Former Padres RHP Pierce Johnson (3.42 ERA, 55⅓ IP) is in his second year in the Braves bullpen while LHP Ray Kerr – moved to Atlanta Matt Carpenter Lost salary (he was later released) – is on the injured list. Ben Sestanovicha former player development director with the Padres, has moved up to the team’s assistant general manager in Atlanta, responsible for player development. RHP Dylan Stop itgrew up in Milton, Georgia, about 30 miles north of Atlanta.

Originally published: September 30, 2024 at 4:08 p.m

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Padres face Braves in National League Wild-Card Series – San Diego Union-Tribune

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